Bhutan wants to host SAARC summit after Maldives backs out

DHAKA - Bhutan wants to host the 16th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit next April 28-29 in Thimphu as the Maldives, which was to host it, has expressed its inability to arrange the gathering due to the current economic recession.

Dhaka to get on to Asian highway

DHAKA - Bangladesh is to sign the Asian Highway pact, shedding its suspicion that the route devised by a UN body would allow neighbouring India a transport ‘corridor’ to its northeastern region.

Over 2,500 border guards arrested since mutiny, says Bangladesh

DHAKA - Over 2,500 border guard personnel have been arrested in connection with the Feb 26 mutiny by Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), Commerce Minister Faruk Khan said Tuesday.

Arms haul: Dhaka to question former ministers

DHAKA - Several ministers in the former Khaleda Zia government may be questioned in the sensational Chittagong arms haul that was meant for Indian insurgents, a media report Tuesday quoted the public prosecutor as telling a court.

Myanmar outfit trained Bangladesh Islamist militants: Report

DHAKA - A banned Myanmarese insurgent group has been training Bangladesh’s Islamist militants since the 1980s, a newspaper report said Tuesday.

Dhaka to prosecute 2 former spy chiefs smuggling arms for Indian rebels

DHAKA - Two former Bangladesh Army generals, who headed the National Security Intelligence (NSI), will be prosecuted for facilitating the landing of Chinese arms meant for insurgents in India’s northeast and for trying to smuggle these arms into India.

Dhaka politicians, media find Indian poll verdict encouraging

DHAKA - The government, the opposition and the media of Bangladesh have reacted positively to the poll verdict in India with a leading newspaper calling it ‘encouraging news’ for the South Asian region.

Bangladesh premier cleared of extortion charge

DHAKA - A Bangladeshi court Sunday cleared Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed of an extortion charge brought against her by a businessman two years ago, court officials said.

Two former intelligence chiefs held in Bangladesh

DHAKA - Investigators Saturday detained two former chiefs of Bangladesh’s National Security Intelligence (NSI) for their alleged connection with an aborted bid to smuggle a huge cache of arms and ammunition five years ago.

Dhaka, Moscow sign deal for nuclear power plants

DHAKA - Bangladesh and Russia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to facilitate setting up nuclear power plants in Bangladesh and transfer of related technology.

8,000 Bangladeshi workers died abroad in past 5 years: Report

DHAKA - Bangladesh, whose economy depends heavily on remittances from citizens employed abroad, received over 8,000 coffins in the last five years, a report said.

Graft cases against Hasina, Zia being reviewed

DHAKA - While Bangladesh’s courts hear the government recommendation that 11 cases against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina be dropped, a senior law officer Monday began scrutiny of documents relating to 20 graft cases against opposition leader Khaleda Zia and her family.

Dhaka could be next stop for foreign troops: Islamist leader

DHAKA - After Afghanistan and Iraq, Bangladesh could be the next destination of ‘foreign troops’ engaged in battling Muslim militants, an Islamist leader has warned here.

Bangladesh PM’s husband dead

DHAKA - M.A. Wazed Miah, husband of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, died Saturday after a prolonged illness. He was 67.

Secularism to go with bismillah in Bangladesh constitution

DHAKA - Bangladesh is planning to restore ’secularism’, one of the four original principles of state policy, in its constitution but will also retain the Quranic expression ‘bismillah’, says Law Minister Shafique Ahmed.

Hasina may expand cabinet to include allies

DHAKA - Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina may expand her cabinet that has a majority of first-termers to add some old hands and political allies, a media report said.

EU calls for a ‘health democracy’ in Bangladesh

DHAKA - The European Union Thursday stressed the need for better parliamentary partnership between Bangladesh’s ruling and opposition parties for a healthy growth of the country’s nascent democracy.

Two former Bangladeshi ministers jailed for graft

DHAKA - A Dhaka court Wednesday sent two former Bangladeshi ministers, convicted in absentia in graft charges, to long prison terms as they surrendered before the trial court, officials said.

Bangladesh orders probe into 2001 post-poll violence

DHAKA - A court here Wednesday directed the Bangladesh government to constitute a commission to probe violence against religious minorities in the aftermath of general elections in 2001.

UAE compensates 879 Bangladeshi camel jockeys

DHAKA - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Tuesday handed over to Dhaka compensation worth $1.43 million for 879 Bangladeshi children who once had been used as camel jockeys in the Gulf kingdom.

Islamist militancy a threat in Bangladesh: US envoy

DHAKA - Islamist militancy continues to be a threat in Bangladesh, the US ambassador to this country has said, adding ‘we do have disturbing indications’.

Zia not to be evicted while case is heard

DHAKA - Bangladesh opposition leader Khaleda Zia has got a reprieve from being evicted from her house after the government told a court that she would not have to vacate while her petition over the matter was pending.

Nabbed official tried to send arms to militants in India: Dhaka

DHAKA - Bangladesh authorities have nabbed a former senior official of the National Security Intelligence (NSI) agency and charged him with providing transport and equipment for an illegal arms consignment meant for militants in India’s northeastern region.

India gives Bangladesh list of terrorist suspects

DHAKA - New Delhi Sunday handed to Dhaka a list of suspected Indian terrorists believed to be hiding in Bangladesh, the Indian high commissioner here said.

Former Bangladesh premier to challenge eviction notice

DHAKA - Bangladesh’s former prime minister Khaleda Zia has challenged a government notice requiring her to vacate her lease-hold residence in the Dhaka cantonment, officials said Sunday.

Terrorism still a concern in Bangladesh, says US envoy

DHAKA - The US government believes that Islamist militancy is still a major concern in Bangladesh, the US ambassador in Dhaka said Sunday.

Opposition calls on Bangladesh’s government to quit

DHAKA - Bangladesh’s mainstream opposition leader Khaleda Zia Saturday asked her arch political rival Sheikh Hasina’s four-month-old government to quit over failure in ‘curbing terrorism and easing the power and water crisis’.

Tropical storm kills 11 in Bangladesh

DHAKA - At least 11 people were killed and scores injured in Bangladesh as the season’s first northwester swept many parts of the country Saturday, officials said.

Bangladesh welcomes US recognition of its religious tolerance

DHAKA - The Bangladesh government has welcomed a US Congressional panel’s move to drop it from a list of countries deemed to violate the religious freedom of minorities.

Dhaka politicians ask courts to drop ‘motivated’ cases

DHAKA - With restoration of democracy after last December’s election, Bangladesh’s politicians are approaching the judiciary to drop criminal cases filed against them by the previous military-backed caretaker government, saying they were ‘politically motivated’.